For anyone that didnt see the TV3 news coverage - see it here
And anyone wanting to see the TVOne news story...
Nah, just kidding. 
Well done to the lad. 
But
I think he's a bad signing. Great atheltic ability and good work ethic in the games I've seen him play but bad touch and no vision so wouldnt have signed him.
He's only 17, so vision, touch, whatever, will hopefully be learnt on the job (assuming he does actually lack these attributes). Sounds to me like he's got tons of promise. I'm really looking forward to seeing him play.
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interested in your comment re his touch nightz - i havent seen a lot of him, but thats one thing i certainly thought he did have
�
im just glad they have signed a flair player with a bit of dash. i reckon we tend to train our kids to be too risk averse, select the strongest over the most skillful etc�(as a whopping generalisation) so i see this as a symbolic turning point in our football nation. hoorah
I do totally agree that kids usually get picked on dash/strength over flair/skill and in my opinion from what I have seen this is another example of that policy and as such is not a turning point for us.
I've only ever watched him in the two games at Porirua park and we are watching different players I thought his skill level, touch and flair were great and if there was a weakness it was his strength and defensive work.
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Yes, we were watching different players, not sure who you were watching.
A dog with a bone :)
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I guess the problem he strikes is that without a youth league side (thanks NZFC clubs) how much football is he actually going to get?
Draper played twice off the bench in two seasons, Costa has made only 8 appearances, Spoonley didn't play a single game.
And the extension of that is...what incentive do young players really have of coming to the Phoenix? There's only so much "rubbing shoulders with the pros day in and day out" that someone can handle.
The lack of a youth side is a HUGE issue, not just for this reason but for other obvious ones too....regular games for fringe players, the ability to nurse guys back from injury, the ability to build depth...
Wrong thread I know, but relevant to Marco. I just can't see the lad getting a run....
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nightz - the kid i saw playing for waikato at newtown was a dribbling genius - very clever, very skilful. as with whityby my concern was about his ability to compete physically.
but we'll see i suppose
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Well done to the lad.
But
I think he's a bad signing. Great atheltic ability and good work ethic in the games I've seen him play but bad touch and no vision so wouldnt have signed him.
He's only 17, so vision, touch, whatever, will hopefully be learnt on the job (assuming he does actually lack these attributes). Sounds to me like he's got tons of promise. I'm really looking forward to seeing him play.
You don't 'learn' touch after about the age of 15/16 imo. If your touch is sh*t then it will always be sh*t.
Sounds like nightz is the only one with that opinion, though. How could a 17 year old be picked based on his physical attributes? Ridiculous.
valeo2009-07-01 21:09:19
a.haak
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Nightz goes against the grain - News at 11
I like tautologies because I like them.
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Nightz in rubbish call shock
Normo's coming home
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I dont mine being proved wrong. I was the one that said laylay was a sh*te signing and I got rubbished for that but was proved right (for once).
I dont think the lad will get a chance to prove me wrong though as I cant see him getting game time.
liverpoolfan1, agreed. Is it better to be training with pros fulltime and not playing or playing every week at a lower level? Time will tell I guess.
I personally think that our national coach should be using the contacts he should have to get the best lads, 17/18 yr olds, into overseas clubs. Even if its the lower leagues in Europe its better than staying put in NZ or sitting on the bench of A League teams. Of course Ricki isnt doing this, dosent have the time to do it, as such shouldnt be doing both jobs he currently holds.
A dog with a bone :)
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Nightz in rubbish call shock
James Dean adds value to the discussion, as usual. Like youve even seen him play lately plonker.A dog with a bone :)
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I dont mine being proved wrong. I was the one that said laylay was a sh*te signing and I got rubbished for that but was proved right (for once).
[/QUOTE]
The exception proves the rule!
[QUOTE=nightz]
The exception proves the rule!
[QUOTE=nightz]
I dont think the lad will get a chance to prove me wrong though as I cant see him getting game time.
liverpoolfan1, agreed. Is it better to be training with pros fulltime and not playing or playing every week at a lower level? Time will tell I guess.
I personally think that our national coach should be using the contacts he should have to get the best lads, 17/18 yr olds, into overseas clubs. Even if its the lower leagues in Europe its better than staying put in NZ or sitting on the bench of A League teams. Of course Ricki isnt doing this, dosent have the time to do it, as such shouldnt be doing both jobs he currently holds.
Rubbish! How exactly do you suppose Ricki is going to convince European clubs to spend their time and money to sign and develop players who are very unlikely to be granted work permits to play in Europe.
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Congrats marco and big well done to his old man Roddy.
Ive known roddy since intermediate and have followed marco's progress since before they would let him join a team. Both of them have put so much time and effort into marco's carrer and i know the sacrifices they were prepared to make and did make, its so good to see it paying off,
Im not much of a soccer fan but will now be watching every game and might even try to get down to the big smoke to see this superstar in the making play. CONGRATS MARCO
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I dont mine being proved wrong. I was the one that said laylay was a sh*te signing and I got rubbished for that but was proved right (for once). [/QUOTE]
The exception proves the rule!
[QUOTE=nightz]
The exception proves the rule!
[QUOTE=nightz]
I dont think the lad will get a chance to prove me wrong though as I cant see him getting game time.
liverpoolfan1, agreed. Is it better to be training with pros fulltime and not playing or playing every week at a lower level? Time will tell I guess.
I personally think that our national coach should be using the contacts he should have to get the best lads, 17/18 yr olds, into overseas clubs. Even if its the lower leagues in Europe its better than staying put in NZ or sitting on the bench of A League teams. Of course Ricki isnt doing this, dosent have the time to do it, as such shouldnt be doing both jobs he currently holds.
Rubbish! How exactly do you suppose Ricki is going to convince European clubs to spend their time and money to sign and develop players who are very unlikely to be granted work permits to play in Europe.
A dog with a bone :)
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I dont mine being proved wrong. I was the one that said laylay was a sh*te signing and I got rubbished for that but was proved right (for once).
The exception proves the rule!
He does make it sound like he was the only but Parkie quite clearly stated that G** would absolute rubbish.
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nightz - the kid i saw playing for waikato at newtown was a dribbling genius - very clever, very skilful. as with whityby my concern was about his ability to compete physically.
Same here, I actually genuinely wonder if Nightz has Rojas confused with someone else - like maybe Villazon?
Because if there's one thing you can't accure Rojas of is having a bad touch.
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Goodluck to him, good story on the neews
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As for his phycsical ability, he put the ball around Vinnie Lia on his first day of training and got cleaned up by Vinnie a couple of times every day for a fortnight and got straight back up and beat him again. The same happened in Queenstown where Carlos Hernandez had to kick him (after Marco's poor touch had stitched him up completely) and Marco is straight back up and in to it.
If his father is any indication he's going to bulk up a fair bit as well, even if he'll never be 6 foot tall, but even then there are some small players in this league that thrive, and Marco can be another one like Pantelis, Murdocca and MacKay.
If his father is any indication he's going to bulk up a fair bit as well, even if he'll never be 6 foot tall, but even then there are some small players in this league that thrive, and Marco can be another one like Pantelis, Murdocca and MacKay.
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no vision? no touch? I've seen 30 seconds footage of the guy and you can tell he has both! he set up a goal in his first phoenix outing - vision. he was taking the michael on camera (against schoolkids warranted)- Touch
Knights you're a doom monger
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Great News!
Congrats to all involved!
"Ive just re-visited this and once again realised that C-Diddy is a genius - a drunk, Newcastle bred disgrace - but a genius." - Hard News, 11:39am 4th June 2009
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Doesnt seem to be a problem for the Ozzies. How about Bright, Woods, James, Pelter, they didnt find it a problem getting trials.
You want me to contribute to the debate?
Woods has an english mum, also (I believe) James who moved to England at 13, and Pelter was born in England. Don't know about Bright.
Firstly, things are now becoming very difficult in Australia as they are preventing kids leaving the country at 16 by withholding international clearance if they are solely doing it for football reasons which they are entitled to do under football statutes (there was an article on the SMH about it about 3 weeks ago, the first major test case is coming up). Secondly, I'd hazard that many of those aussies have Greek, Croation etc heritage which may mean that they qualify for European passports. See the recent difficulty for Mark Milligan when you don't have one.
EDIt - HN - Fixed tags
Hard News2009-07-02 00:08:45EDIt - HN - Fixed tags
Normo's coming home
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First of all, Have watched him in a couple of games and he is quality, Even on the news how can you say that he has a poor touch, he took the mickey out of most of the kids at his school and he was taking the piss but he talks pretty gangster dont he? hahaha
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nightz - the kid i saw playing for waikato at newtown was a dribbling genius - very clever, very skilful. as with whityby my concern was about his ability to compete physically.
Same here, I actually genuinely wonder if Nightz has Rojas confused with someone else - like maybe Villazon?
Because if there's one thing you can't accure Rojas of is having a bad touch.
I made that same mistake at the games at Porirua Park, El G. I didn't know Rojas from Villazon until much later.
Improving,,on the up, a work in progress from Italiano and the Nix. Bring on the bathroom bling in '24! COYN!
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Doesnt seem to be a problem for the Ozzies.� How about Bright, Woods, James, Pelter, they didnt find it a problem getting trials.
. . . Dave Bright, his father who played in the 1982 All Whites team was born in the England and emigrated to New Zealand in 1975 before playing for the All Whites in 1979. One should be able to assume that Kris Bright's Grandparents had an English heritage.
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If his Dad was born in England then he'll have an English passport
This is the article about the FFA crackdown
Normo's coming home
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Dont know why people are saying that this could be a bad signing, well couple of people.. but his touch is class watching him on 3 news earliar showed this that he has could technical skills aswell.. Getting him into the Phoenix will be good but otherwise if this oppourtunity hadn't arisen then maybe he'd still be schooling at fraser and still coming off the bench for Waikato Fc in the NZFC in the next season.. It provides him with a leap in his career and also alot of attention has been created by him being signed which will be travelling across the Tasman, getting his name out there. He may get a bit more game time than im thinking.. Has he been talked about more than Costa and Draper on the news or before the season had even started or when they were about to sign??? I don't remember hearing much about them.. but Marco has stunned the NZ footballing community. Even though he may not be the biggest you dont have to be big, he's got great quick feet and brilliant on both feet..
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Guy guys guess what - Paston is really short.
I'm not kidding. Now indulge me.
I like tautologies because I like them.
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I think that the yellow fever guys deserve a massive shout out for their part in this.
Frankie Mac2009-07-02 08:19:56
For all of you who thought the guys were just like this, I think that you need to apologise:
Hard News:
Smithy
Feverish:
Marius
All I do is make the stuff I would've liked
Reference things I wanna watch, reference girls I wanna bite
Now I'm firefly like a burning kite
And yousa fake fuck like a fleshlight
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Did I read correctly? Marco's Dad's name is Rodi? Rodi Rojas? That, my friends, is one very rock'n'roll name!
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Doesnt seem to be a problem for the Ozzies. How about Bright, Woods, James, Pelter, they didnt find it a problem getting trials.
You want me to contribute to the debate?
Woods has an english mum, also (I believe) James who moved to England at 13, and Pelter was born in England. Don't know about Bright.
Firstly, things are now becoming very difficult in Australia as they are preventing kids leaving the country at 16 by withholding international clearance if they are solely doing it for football reasons which they are entitled to do under football statutes (there was an article on the SMH about it about 3 weeks ago, the first major test case is coming up). Secondly, I'd hazard that many of those aussies have Greek, Croation etc heritage which may mean that they qualify for European passports. See the recent difficulty for Mark Milligan when you don't have one.
EDIt - HN - Fixed tags
EDIt - HN - Fixed tags
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His old man moving to Wellington to help him speaks volumes. Good on him and I hope I see him play, although I doubt whether we'll see much of him, unfortunate
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First of all, Have watched him in a couple of games and he is quality, Even on the news how can you say that he has a poor touch, he took the mickey out of most of the kids at his school and he was taking the piss but he talks pretty gangster dont he? hahaha
He talks like a muzza
a.haak
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Suspect that was for his school audience.
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anyone know how many games his played at nzfc level???
go gunners
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NZFC site actually has pretty good stats on this, but it's 12 matches for 1 goal.
http://www.nzfc.co.nz/index.php?id=7
http://www.nzfc.co.nz/index.php?id=7
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